Jeremiah
Verse 2. Potter’s. Thus God would shew his dominion over all. Romans 9:21.
EXPLANATIONS
Jeremiah 18
Historical chapter commentary
Jeremiah
Verse 3. Wheel. Hebrew “stones.” Septuagint “seats;” or “wheel.” Chal. Exodus 1:16. See Eccle. 38:32. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 4. Broken. So Providence ordered it. Saint Jerome—How should this idea humble man! Calmet.—A potter may mould afresh the clay as long as it is soft, but God can change the hardest heart. Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 8. Shall repent, having free-will, though prevented by grace. Saint Jerome
Jeremiah
Verse 12. Hopes. Calmet. 2:25. Septuagint “we are valiant men.” Bible.
Jeremiah
Verse 13. Virgin. The disorders of Israel are thus enhanced. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 14. Snow. It continues on Libanus seven or eight months, (La Roque quoted. Univ. Hist. ii. p. 363) or all the year; (Tacit. Hist. verse 6.) and hence the mountain is justly denominated “white,” as the Alps and Albion are from albon. Bochart. Parkhurst, p. 155. Bible.—Away. Yet my people abandon me, to serve idols! Hebrew may have many other senses to the same purpose. Septuagint “Shall the mountain springs fail, or snow from Libanus? Shall a stream forcibly driven by the wind, turn aside?” Bible.—The laws of nature are observed by inanimate things, and shall my people be so foolish as to follow mere vanity.
Jeremiah
Verse 15. Ancient; followed by the patriarchs. Calmet. 6:16.
Jeremiah
Verse 16. Head, through contempt ( Calmet.) and pity. Lamentations 2:15.
Jeremiah
Verse 17. Burning. Hebrew kadim, “eastern,” ( Bible.) coming from Desert Arabia. Exodus 10:13. Calmet.—Back. Thus the Lord now treats the synagogue. Saint Jerome
Jeremiah
Verse 18. Prophet. Jeremias will not cease to upbraid us with our transgressions; or we have guides as good as him, and we shall not be left destitute, as he would intimate.—Tongue, detraction; or make him suffer for what he says. In all the transactions of this prophet, Christ was foreshewn; ( Calmet.) and here, particularly, the Jews demand the crucifixion. Saint Jerome Worthington.
Jeremiah
Verse 20. Remember, and so forth This is spoken in the person of Christ, persecuted by the Jews, and prophetically denouncing the evils that should fall upon them in punishment for their crimes. Challoner.—Jeremias had prayed earnestly for the people. Calmet. 14:17. Bible.
Jeremiah
Verse 21. Therefore. He foretells of the event, and approves of the chastisement of the impenitent, ( Calmet.) whose “impurity might be a bad precedent for others. Saint Jerome See Calmet. 17:18.
Jeremiah
Verse 22. For. Prot. “when.” Bible.—Robber. So Nabuchodonosor and all professional conquerors are styled. Calmet.
Jeremiah
Verse 23. Destroy. Hebrew “with them.” use them as vessels of ignominy: abutere. Bible.